This invention relates to a connector between acoustical apparatus such as between a headphone and an audio playback device and more particularly to such a connector which can also transmit light signals through optical fibers.
Prior art connectors for acoustical apparatus are adapted to exchange only a relatively few signals. If it is desired to exchange a large number of signals, many connectors must be utilized and wiring between apparatus becomes inconveniently complicated. FIG. 1 shows an example of prior art connector comprising a plug 18 and a jack 19. The plug 18 has a frontally protruding elongated piece 17 divided longitudinally into three conductor parts mutually separated by insulator pieces 13 such that connection can be established with a plurality of electrical units. The jack 19 is comprised of a shielding conductor 14, an L-channel conductor 15 and an R-channel conductor 16. Acoustical apparatus each having the plug 18 and the jack 19 become connected when the protruding piece 17 of the plug 18 is inserted into the jack 19 through its opening 20 such that the first, second and third conductors respectively contact the shielding conductor 14, the L-channel conductor 15 and the R-channel conductor 16.
FIG. 2 shows another example of prior art connector comprising an RCA type pin jack 30 and pin plug 31. The pin jack 30 includes a central conductor 32, a grounded outer cover 33 and an insulator 34 disposed therebetween to electrically insulate them. Correspondingly, the pin plug 31 includes a frontally protruding central pin 35, a grounded outer cover 36 and an insulator 37 disposed therebetween to electrically insulate them such that connection can be established by inserting the pin plug 31 into the pin jacket 30, thereby elastically compressing the central conductor 32 of the jack 30 against the central pin 35 and the outer covers 33 and 36 against each other. With a connector of this structure, however, data for only one electrical apparatus can be transmitted.